Northamptonshire's Rob White hit an extraordinary 277 at Wantage Road on Wednesday.

The innings featured a rare first class century before lunch, and he also moved past 200 before tea.

The feat was all the more remarkable as this was his first century at this level.

This is only White's fifth first-class match and his previous highest score had been 80.

Thumping

The Chelmsford-born 22-year-old took two hours and six minutes to reach his hundred, facing 102 balls and hitting 18 fours and one six.

He was finally out after spending five hours and 20 minutes at the crease, thumping 41 boundaries and two sixes in 325 deliveries.

White put on 375 for the first wicket with Mark Powell (107).

The partnership was the highest in the Championship this season, surpassing the 320 set by Middlesex pair Abdur Razzaq and Ed Joyce.

Smith strikes late

But Northamptonshire then slid to 411 for four at the close.

Mike Smith ended with two for 65, removing White and then Monty Panesar for a golden duck.

David Sales was also dismissed for nought.

White was impressive in Northamptonshire's second XI in 2001, when he was named the county's young player of the year.

The right-hander also hit the first ever double century in the history of the Cricketer Cup the same year, when playing for Stowe Templars, a team of ex-pupils from Stowe School.

Northamptonshire: M J Powell, R A White, D J G Sales, J W Cook, A L Penberthy (Capt), M E Cassar, T M B Bailey (Wkt), C G Greenidge, M S Panesar, M W H Inness, J F Brown.

Gloucestershire: C M Spearman, T H C Hancock, I D Fisher C G Taylor, M G N Windows, R C Russell (Wkt), M W Alleyne (Capt), J Lewis, R J Sillence, A M Smith, A P R Gidman.

Northamptonshire won toss and decided to bat

Umpires: J H Evans and K E Palmer